The present application is related to the following co-pending and commonly-owned applications: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/885,345, entitled xe2x80x9cA Gaming Device for Operating in a Reverse Payout Mode and a Method of Operating Samexe2x80x9d, and filed on Jun. 30, 1997; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/109,839, entitled xe2x80x9cVideo Poker Device and Method of Operation Thereofxe2x80x9d, and filed on Jul. 2, 1998; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/610,120, entitled xe2x80x9cMethod and Apparatus for Playing a Card Game Including a Bust Insurance Optionxe2x80x9d, and filed on the same day as the present application. The contents of each of these related applications is incorporated herein by reference.
The invention generally relates to a method of playing a card game and, in particular, relates to a method of playing a card game such as Blackjack wherein a player who made an initial bet and was dealt an unfavorable starting hand has at least one additional option, such as obtaining bust insurance or mortgaging a round of play.
Blackjack, which is also known as Twenty-one, is a popular card game often played in physical casinos, online or xe2x80x9cvirtualxe2x80x9d casinos, and other gaming venues. In Blackjack, a dealer representing the casino or xe2x80x9chousexe2x80x9d is pitted against one or more players, with the dealer playing separately against each player. While a popular version of Blackjack is described herein, other versions with slightly different rules are also played. In each round of play, each player makes an initial bet before any cards are dealt. The dealer then deals a starting hand consisting of two cards to each player and to himself. The two cards dealt to each player are typically turned face up, but only one of the two cards dealt to the dealer is turned face up (i.e., the xe2x80x9cdealer upcardxe2x80x9d). Each numbered card (i.e., each card numbered xe2x80x9c2xe2x80x9d-xe2x80x9c10xe2x80x9d) has a value equal to the card number, each face card (i.e., each jack, queen and king) has a value of ten, and each ace has a value of one or eleven, depending on which value is more beneficial to the player. The suit of each card does not affect its value. The value of the starting hand for each player, and for the dealer, is determined by totaling the value of the two cards. For example, a starting hand consisting of a five of spades (xe2x80x9c5xe2x80x9d) and a ten of clubs (xe2x80x9cTxe2x80x9d) has a total value of 15.
Note that, in the remainder of the present specification, each card is referred to by a two-digit code, with the first digit representing the card""s rank (i.e., 2-9, T for xe2x80x9ctenxe2x80x9d, J for xe2x80x9cjackxe2x80x9d, Q for xe2x80x9cqueenxe2x80x9d, K for xe2x80x9ckingxe2x80x9d, and A for xe2x80x9cacexe2x80x9d), and the second digit representing the card""s suit (i.e.,  for xe2x80x9cclubxe2x80x9d,  for xe2x80x9cdiamondxe2x80x9d,  for xe2x80x9cheartxe2x80x9d, and  for xe2x80x9cspadexe2x80x9d). As noted above, however, the suit of each card does not affect its value.
The party (i.e., each player or the dealer) that accumulates cards with the highest numerical total, without exceeding 21, wins the round of play. To increase the total value of his starting hand, each player is allowed to take as many additional cards or xe2x80x9chitsxe2x80x9d as desired until that player chooses to xe2x80x9cstandxe2x80x9d with a final hand having a total value of less than or equal to 21, or until that player xe2x80x9cbustsxe2x80x9d with a final hand having a total value exceeding 21. If the player busts, he loses his initial bet. If not, once each of the remaining players has finished his turn, the dealer turns over the card that he dealt face down to himself. If the dealer""s hand has a total value of 17 or greater, he is typically required to stand. However, if the dealer""s hand has a total value of less than 17, he is typically required to draw one or more additional cards until he obtains a hand with a total value of 17 or greater, at which point he must stand. Thus, the dealer has no discretion about taking cards. If the dealer""s final hand is greater than 21, each player who did not bust wins. If the dealer""s final hand has a total value of between 17 and 21, inclusively, any player who did not bust and has a final hand having a total value greater than the total value of the dealer""s final hand wins, while any player who did not bust but has a final hand having a total value less than the total value of the dealer""s final hand loses. Each winning player is typically paid based upon his initial bet using a 1:1 ratio (e.g., so that a $10 bet results in a $20 payout), while each losing player loses his initial bet. (In this application, the amount of a xe2x80x9cpayoutxe2x80x9d includes the return of the underlying bet plus any net winnings.) If a player""s final hand has the same total value as the dealer""s final hand, the result of the round of play is declared to be a xe2x80x9cpushxe2x80x9d, and the player""s initial bet is returned to him.
Blackjack is typically played in accordance with a number of other conventional rules. For example, if a player""s starting hand consists of an ace and a second card having a value of ten (e.g., a ten or a face card), for a total value of 21, the player is deemed to have a winning hand referred to as a xe2x80x9cBlackjackxe2x80x9d. A player who has a Blackjack is typically paid based upon his initial bet using a 1.5:1 ratio (e.g., such that a $10 bet results in a $25 payout), unless the dealer was also dealt a Blackjack, in which case the round of play may be declared to be a push. A Blackjack is different, and has a different payout, than a final hand having more than two cards and which has a total value of 21. A Blackjack will beat such a final hand having a total value of 21.
The card game of Blackjack also includes a number of other conventional rules that provide a player with additional options for playing the game. For example, Blackjack includes rules for conventional xe2x80x9cinsurancexe2x80x9d (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cBlackjack insurancexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9c21 insurancexe2x80x9d), xe2x80x9csurrenderxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cdoubling downxe2x80x9d, and xe2x80x9csplitting pairsxe2x80x9d. Each of these rules is now described in the following paragraphs.
xe2x80x9cBlackjack insurancexe2x80x9d provides each player with the option of making a side bet if that player believes, based upon the dealer upcard, that the dealer may have a Blackjack. Blackjack insurance is a side bet since it is distinct from the player""s initial bet. A player is allowed to make a Blackjack insurance side bet only if the dealer upcard is an ace. A player is typically allowed to wager, for this side bet, up to one-half of his initial bet. A player wins this side bet if the card that was initially dealt face down to the dealer completes a Blackjack for the dealer, and otherwise loses this side bet. A player who wins this side bet will typically be paid based upon his side bet using a 2:1 ratio (e.g., such that a $5 side bet results in a $15 payout), while a player who loses will lose his side bet. Since a player who wins this side bet is likely to have lost the initial bet (since the dealer""s hand turned out to be a Blackjack), the player""s winnings on this side bet will typically cancel out the player""s loss on his initial bet, hence the name xe2x80x9cBlackjack insurancexe2x80x9d for this side bet. Thus, with Blackjack insurance, each player is allowed to place a side bet that will win if the dealer""s hand turns out to be a Blackjack.
xe2x80x9cSurrenderxe2x80x9d provides each player with the option of terminating a round of play after the starting hands have been dealt, for use in situations where that player has been dealt a xe2x80x9cbadxe2x80x9d starting hand that is likely to bust (if an additional card is drawn) or to lose to the dealer""s hand (if an additional card is not drawn). If, for example, a player""s starting hand consists of a 5 and a 10 and the dealer""s upcard is a J, only an additional card of 6 or below will not xe2x80x9cbustxe2x80x9d the player, while xe2x80x9cstandingxe2x80x9d with only 15 points is likely to lose to the dealer. In this situation, the player is likely to bust or lose. Surrender is typically practiced by the player taking back one-half of his initial bet and xe2x80x9csurrenderingxe2x80x9d the other one-half of his initial bet to the dealer while terminating the round of play. For example, if a player who made a $10 initial bet surrenders, he takes back $5 of his initial bet, surrenders the other $5 to the dealer, and terminates the round of play. The surrender option has not proven to be popular among Blackjack players.
xe2x80x9cDoubling downxe2x80x9d provides each player with the option of doubling his initial bet while agreeing to take one and only one additional card, for use in situations where the player believes that one and only one additional card is likely to improve his starting hand to a winning hand without xe2x80x9cbustingxe2x80x9d. If the player xe2x80x9cbustsxe2x80x9d with the one additional card, or does not xe2x80x9cbustxe2x80x9d but still loses to the dealer, the player loses both his initial bet and doubling down bet. However, if the player""s three-card hand beats the dealer, the player wins an amount based upon the total of his initial bet and doubling down bet using a 1:1 ratio (e.g., such that a $10 initial bet and a $10 double down bet results in a $40 payout). Thus, with xe2x80x9cdoubling downxe2x80x9d, a player is allowed to increase the size of his bet in situations where the player believes that his hand is likely to win.
xe2x80x9cSplitting pairsxe2x80x9d provides each player who is dealt a starting hand consisting of two cards of the same rank (e.g., a pair of aces) with the option of xe2x80x9csplittingxe2x80x9d the two cards into separate hands. If the player elects to split his starting hand, he must apply his initial bet to one of the hands while placing a second bet of the same amount to the other hand. The player then plays each of the hands normally, except that an ace and a card having a 10 value comprise a 21 instead of a xe2x80x9cBlackjackxe2x80x9d.
When playing Blackjack, a player is likely to be dealt one or more xe2x80x9cbadxe2x80x9d starting hands, each of which is likely to bust (if an additional card is drawn) or to lose to the dealer""s hand (if an additional card is not drawn). An exemplary xe2x80x9cbadxe2x80x9d starting hand consists of a 5 and a 10 against a dealer upcard of a A. Under the conventional rules of Blackjack, a player who is dealt such a xe2x80x9cbadxe2x80x9d starting hand has limited options. If the player takes an additional card, he is likely to bust. If the player stands, he is likely to lose to the dealer""s hand. If the player makes a Blackjack insurance side bet, he is likely to lose since the dealer""s face-down card is unlikely to have a value of ten. In other situations, as where the dealer""s upcard is a 9, the Blackjack insurance side bet option is not even available to the player since the dealer cannot have a Blackjack. The xe2x80x9cdoubling downxe2x80x9d option is unattractive since the player does not have a good starting hand that is likely to win. The xe2x80x9csplitting pairsxe2x80x9d option is unavailable since the player was not dealt a pair. Although the xe2x80x9csurrenderxe2x80x9d option may be available, this option has proven to be unpopular among Blackjack players. Thus, under the conventional rules of Blackjack, the player is left in a position of not wanting to play his starting hand despite having already committed an initial bet on that hand. If the player has already lost a number of hands and believes that he is undergoing an xe2x80x9cunluckyxe2x80x9d streak, he may become frustrated or discouraged, and may stop playing and/or leave the gaming venue (e.g., by leaving the casino, or logging off the online gaming site). When a player stops playing, the casino or the gaming site will earn no additional revenue from the player.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide at least one additional option to a Blackjack player who is dealt an unfavorable starting hand. It would also be desirable to provide a Blackjack player who made an initial bet and is dealt an unfavorable starting hand with at least one additional option. Preferably, the additional option will help prevent the player from being discouraged from playing further, and could be profitably provided by a physical, on-line or xe2x80x9cvirtualxe2x80x9d casino, or other gaming operator.
Generally, the invention provides a method and system of playing a card game such as Blackjack wherein a player who made an initial bet and was dealt an unfavorable starting hand has at least one additional option for continued play going beyond the options provided by the conventional rules of the game. One additional option allows a player to place a bust insurance side bet, which the player will win if his hand xe2x80x9cbustsxe2x80x9d upon drawing a predetermined number of additional cards in an attempt to improve his starting hand. Another additional option allows a player to mortgage a round of play. The mortgage includes an agreement to play at least one future round of play and/or the current round of play in accordance with at least one revised rule which is unfavorable to the player in exchange for receiving an advantage (e.g., a revised rule which is favorable to the player) during the current round of play.
One embodiment of the invention provides a method of playing a card game. This method includes dealing at least one card to a player to form a starting hand, receiving a request from the player to take an additional card, dealing the additional card to the player to form a current hand in response to the request, and determining a total value of the current hand. If the total value exceeds a predetermined value, the method further includes providing a benefit (e.g., a payout) to the player.
Another embodiment provides a method of playing a card game that includes receiving an initial bet from a player, dealing first and second cards to the player to form a starting hand, receiving a bust insurance bet from the player after dealing the starting hand, receiving a request from the player to take an additional card, dealing the additional card to the player to form a current hand in response to the request, and determining a total value of the current hand. If the total value does not exceed a predetermined value, the method also includes determining a payout to the player on the initial bet based upon a comparison between the player""s current hand and a dealer""s final hand. If the total value exceeds the predetermined value, however, the method further includes providing a payout to the player on the bust insurance bet.
Another embodiment provides a method of playing a card game having a plurality of rules. The method includes receiving an initial bet from a player for a current round of play, dealing at least one card to the player to form a starting hand and, after dealing the starting hand but before determining an outcome of the current round of play, entering into an agreement with the player to bet (e.g., at least a portion of the initial bet) on at least one future round of play to be played in accordance with a revised rule. The agreement may further include terminating the current round of play.
Another embodiment provides a method of playing a card game having a plurality of rules that includes receiving an initial bet from a player for a current round of play, dealing at least one card to the player to form a starting hand and, after dealing the starting hand but before determining an outcome of the current round of play, entering into an agreement with the player to revise at least a first rule of the card game in a manner which is favorable for the player in exchange for revising at least a second rule of the card game in a manner which is unfavorable for the player.
In another embodiment, an apparatus for playing a card game includes means for dealing at least one card to a player to form a starting hand, means for receiving a request from the player to take an additional card, means for dealing the additional card to the player to form a current hand in response to the request, means for determining a total value of the current hand, and means for providing a benefit (e.g., a payout) to the player if the total value exceeds a predetermined value.
In another embodiment, an apparatus for playing a card game includes means for receiving an initial bet from a player, means for dealing first and second cards to the player to form a starting hand, means for receiving a bust insurance bet from the player after dealing the starting hand, means for receiving a request from the player to take an additional card, means for dealing the additional card to the player to form a current hand in response to the request, and means for determining a total value of the current hand. The apparatus also includes means for determining a payout to the player on the initial bet based upon a comparison between the player""s current hand and a dealer""s final hand if the total value does not exceed a predetermined value, and means for providing a payout to the player on the bust insurance bet if the total value exceeds the predetermined value.
In another embodiment, an apparatus for playing a card game having a plurality of rules includes means for receiving an initial bet from a player for a current round of play, means for dealing at least one card to the player to form a starting hand, and means for entering into an agreement with the player to bet (e.g., at least a portion of the initial bet) on at least one future round of play to be played according to a revised rule after dealing the starting hand but before determining an outcome of the current round of play. The agreement may include terminating the current round of play.
In another embodiment, an apparatus for playing a card game having a plurality of rules includes means for receiving an initial bet from a player for a current round of play, means for dealing at least one card to the player to form a starting hand, and means for entering into an agreement with the player to revise at least a first rule of the card game in a manner which is favorable for the player in exchange for revising at least a second rule of the card game in a manner unfavorable for the player after dealing the starting hand but before determining an outcome of the current round of play.